COVID-19 in Saskatchewan: The Week in Review, April 17

There’s a lot of information that comes at you over the course of a week right now!

So, each Friday, as part of our special coverage of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, 650 CKOM will give you a quick wrap-up of the biggest developments. And some of the positive, inspiring stories coming out as people and businesses do their best to get through this together.

Like Saskatchewan’s land, the curve we hear so much about looked pretty flat this week. There were days where only one more case was reported, and more people recovered each and every day.

Those numbers lit the fire for a debate over planning for the province to re-open, and what that would look like.

Parades became all the rage for people who couldn’t hold typical celebrations because of the pandemic. Others decorated their homes in bright colours. And in more good news, have you ever heard of a five-minute-long labour?

The Numbers

Active cases dropped big time throughout the week, ending up at just 82 by Thursday. That means over 73 per cent of Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 patients have recovered.

Only 20 new cases were announced all week long.

Numbers for the week:

307 total cases
228 recoveries
4 deaths
75 active cases
5 inpatient hospital care cases
1 person in ICU

Unfortunately, a fourth person died over the weekend from the virus.

Noble “Butch” Gullacher was remembered as a loving grandfather.

The virus also started to spread a bit more in the northern half of the province. That could be partly because of a nurse who traveled from Saskatoon to treat patients.

We also found out anyone who went to re-stock their liquor cabinet at a northeast Saskatoon Sobeys might want to contact Saskatchewan Health, after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The same goes for people who grabbed a Big Mac at certain McDonald’s spots in Saskatoon and Regina.

If you need a visual for how physical distancing works, Ohio’s state health department put out a simple but riveting PSA using ping pong balls and mouse traps.

Flatten The Curve – Social Distancing Works

Social distancing works. We are all #InThisTogetherOhio. www.coronavirus.ohio.gov

Posted by Ohio Department of Health on Thursday, April 9, 2020

Could the provincial shutdown end sooner rather than later?

With the slowdown in new cases, Premier Scott Moe suggested a plan could be coming on how Saskatchewan could hit the restart button the economy. He stressed this was just a plan.

If the economy was a car, it’d be like touching the gas slightly to start rolling out of the driveway — with a foot hovering over the brake. Except instead of a passing car, the danger is a new spike in COVID-19 cases.

But NDP leader Ryan Meili and the province’s nurse’s union weren’t fans of the conversation even happening, saying it could send mixed messages as the weather gets warmer and people are antsy to get out and live their lives.

Either way, it doesn’t sound like we’ll be wearing watermelons at Mosaic Stadium anytime soon.

Good news and helping hands

What’s the next best thing when you can’t have a birthday party or go on the trip of a lifetime? Getting your own personal parade, maybe?

Ruth Lieske turned 90 and didn’t want a party, so her family paraded past her house in Fort Qu’Appelle.

She wasn’t the only one to get their own show. Erik Alexandrovici, 7, had his Make a Wish trip to Disneyland cancelled by COVID-19. So local biz came together to parade past him, dropping off gifts as they went. It even included the Saskatchewan Rush monster truck!

This is the ultimate helping hand: A 9-1-1 dispatcher in Saskatoon helped a husband deliver his wife’s baby within five minutes of getting the call!

Ever heard of something positive coming from doing inventory? Well, Saskatchewan Polytechnic found hundreds of gloves, gowns and masks that it then donated to the Ministry of Health for the battle against COVID-19.

Depending on your trash situation, this will come as good news: Saskatoon will move to weekly garbage pickup sometime in May. City councillors weren’t a fan of unelected staff telling everyone they’d stay on bi-weekly pickup into the summer.

Cameco may have extended their shutdown at their Cigar Lake mine, but the company is making good by continuing to pay miners AND by setting up a $1 million fund for charities in Saskatchewan.

Other groups also stepped forward with donations. The Saskatoon Kinsmen Club raised $225,000 for charities, while a Saskatoon broadcasting college is donating 10 meals a day to the local homeless shelter.

Still need a smile? Take a look at this balloon display outside a Pendygrasse Road home in Saskatoon, part of the “one million bubbles” challenge.

Cancellations and general bummers

Saskatoon lost three big summer events this week. The Saskatchewan Jazz Festival won’t go in early July, Fringe is cancelling their 2020 festival, while it doesn’t look like Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan will hit the stage.

Regina won’t be fixing up some bumpy roads

The Queen City’s Farm Progress Show also might be on the chopping block

Oh, and you know that report about Saskatchewan being a potential “neutral” site for finishing the NHL season and playoffs? Saskatoon’s SaskTel Centre bosses don’t think that’s likely